Fiction

Call for the Dead

Call for the Dead

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-06-21 09:51:18
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：John le Carré
  • ISBN：0241521807
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Summary

A beautiful 60th anniversary special edition of the first George Smiley novel， now with a new introduction by John le Carré

After a routine security check by George Smiley， civil servant Samuel Fennan apparently kills himself。 When Smiley finds Circus head Maston is trying to blame him for the man's death， he begins his own investigation， meeting with Fennan's widow to find out what could have led him to such desperation。 But on the very day that Smiley is ordered off the enquiry he receives an urgent letter from the dead man。 Do the East Germans - and their agents - know more about this man's death than the Circus previously imagined？

Le Carré's debut novel， Call for the Dead， introduced the tenacious and retiring George Smiley in a gripping tale of espionage and deceit。

'The greatest spy novelist of all time' Jake Kerridge， Daily Telegraph

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Reviews

Kristen Chew ，

Enter Smiley， a little younger， a little more impulsive than he would become in later books。 More of a mystery than a spy novel， the seeds are definitely there for the greatness that is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy。

T P Kennedy ，

A gripping little book。 On the one hand， it's a spy story but it's also a study of character。 In the setting and portrayal， there's echoes of Graham Greene （none the worse for that）。 It's not particularly deep but it's a really good read。 A gripping little book。 On the one hand， it's a spy story but it's also a study of character。 In the setting and portrayal， there's echoes of Graham Greene （none the worse for that）。 It's not particularly deep but it's a really good read。 。。。more

Jordan ，

Drab and inert compared to his better work - drabness is an essential character of Le Carré’s work， but it’s more simply cynical here as opposed to being a cover for his essential sincerity as an author。 More of a conventional mystery novel。 Immense promise of course。

Kelly ，

I have had a craving for a John le Carré spy novel for a few weeks now so I picked this one - as it’s the first George Smiley novel。 It’s a short and therefore very quick read but with some interesting mysteries: the central one， alluded to in the title， is that a suspected spy who commits suicide apparently requested a call at 8:30am for the following day， leading George to question whether it was really suicide or foul play。 But there’s no apparent motive。 The interview he conducted had been r I have had a craving for a John le Carré spy novel for a few weeks now so I picked this one - as it’s the first George Smiley novel。 It’s a short and therefore very quick read but with some interesting mysteries: the central one， alluded to in the title， is that a suspected spy who commits suicide apparently requested a call at 8:30am for the following day， leading George to question whether it was really suicide or foul play。 But there’s no apparent motive。 The interview he conducted had been routine。 He is unable to stop thinking about the motives of this phone call。 Why was it requested？ Why did the dead man’s wife lie and say she requested the call？ As the novel is so short it’s all wrapped up rather quickly in the end， and never really gets too thrilling - it’s a quieter novel than many of the other Le Carré books I’ve read， but it has some charm nevertheless。 。。。more

Ellen ，

I had trouble following this， especially at the beginning。 I think this may just be that I had a lot on my mind and read it at a bad time。 I won't rate it because of that and I will try George Smiley again hoping that this is the case。 I had trouble following this， especially at the beginning。 I think this may just be that I had a lot on my mind and read it at a bad time。 I won't rate it because of that and I will try George Smiley again hoping that this is the case。 。。。more

Donna Herrick ，

My brother-in-law thinks that the Smiley series is the best ever。 I don't know about that， but I really love the plausibility of this Smiley episode。 My brother-in-law thinks that the Smiley series is the best ever。 I don't know about that， but I really love the plausibility of this Smiley episode。 。。。more

Rod Lee ，

My first John le Carré novel。 I technically read a George Smiley novel decades ago but I don’t recall much， hence my reboot here as I start @ the beginning。 I don’t recall George being described as a little fat nondescript person from that earlier read。 Very not 007 like （which I’ve also started to read）。 I enjoyed the plot but got lost @ times with early 1960’s British idiosyncrasies in what & how they say or describe things but I was able to muddle through。 Looking forward to book 2 once I’m i My first John le Carré novel。 I technically read a George Smiley novel decades ago but I don’t recall much， hence my reboot here as I start @ the beginning。 I don’t recall George being described as a little fat nondescript person from that earlier read。 Very not 007 like （which I’ve also started to read）。 I enjoyed the plot but got lost @ times with early 1960’s British idiosyncrasies in what & how they say or describe things but I was able to muddle through。 Looking forward to book 2 once I’m in the mood for another round of John le Carré’s take on the spy game。 。。。more

Anthony ，

While it doesn’t reach the astounding depths of le Carré’s masterpiece The Spy Who Came in from the Cold， this novel， his first， nonetheless displays his gifts for giving us a subtle， mesmerizing， disturbing glimpse into the murky， cold-blooded world of espionage。 And it introduces to the world the peculiar， brilliant， bespectacled spy George Smiley。 I look forward to continuing to read his exploits， and I’m grateful that there are many more of them that le Carré wrote。

Cheemo Hoiips ，

Part spy thriller， part murder mystery -- Le Carre's first novel is brimming with personality。 George Smiley is the antithesis of James Bond， a straight-laced middle-aged desk jockey。 But what he lacks in fast cars， girls， and martinis he makes up for in wit and intuition。 Not to say he won't get his hands dirty， if he must。 The story is tight and twisty。 At 160 pages is zips along a fast clip; no bloat in this book。 I loved it。 Already picked up the next。 Part spy thriller， part murder mystery -- Le Carre's first novel is brimming with personality。 George Smiley is the antithesis of James Bond， a straight-laced middle-aged desk jockey。 But what he lacks in fast cars， girls， and martinis he makes up for in wit and intuition。 Not to say he won't get his hands dirty， if he must。 The story is tight and twisty。 At 160 pages is zips along a fast clip; no bloat in this book。 I loved it。 Already picked up the next。 。。。more

Ignacio López ，

Mi incursión en John Le Carre， hermoso

David Patsel ，

Interesting bookLeCarre has written many books so I went back to his first。 It’s a good story， a little disjointed and at times hard to follow。 But spy stories are。 I’ve enjoyed getting to know his character， George Smiley though。 Recommend reading if you follow LeCarre。

Lise Petrauskas ，

This was so fun！ First of the Smiley books， published in 1961。 Reminded me a bit of Ngaio Marsh， what with the recently retired inspector Mendel playing the Inspector Fox to Smiley’s Alleyn。 A little police procedural thrown in with the spy stuff。 We get a little more history here than i’m any other book I’ve read， of Smiley’s indoctrination into the service and his work in Germany in during WWII。 Though its interesting how the character of Smiley develops over the course of the series， in some This was so fun！ First of the Smiley books， published in 1961。 Reminded me a bit of Ngaio Marsh， what with the recently retired inspector Mendel playing the Inspector Fox to Smiley’s Alleyn。 A little police procedural thrown in with the spy stuff。 We get a little more history here than i’m any other book I’ve read， of Smiley’s indoctrination into the service and his work in Germany in during WWII。 Though its interesting how the character of Smiley develops over the course of the series， in some ways this was the most revealing of his character。 I suppose that makes sense， since the author is also gettingto know him。 All the themes are here， including Smiley’s interest in 18th German lit and his “bitch goddess”， Anne （so called by a character in Smiley’s People） Brilliantly read by Michael Jayston， the actor who plays Guillam in the original BBC adaptation of Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy。 。。。more

Denise ，

Enjoyed it。 I’m looking forward to his next book。

Mark Vargo ，

Back when thrillers were 175 pages or so of tight plot， LeCarre was the master。 Love this reminder of that type of novel。。。Cold War spy craft at its finest！

Laurie Roberts ，

First of the George Smiley spy novels。 Excellent plot with good twists and turns。 But quite hard to follow at some points; it jumps from scene to scene and I couldn't always follow it perfectly。 Character development a little superficial。 But very gripping read First of the George Smiley spy novels。 Excellent plot with good twists and turns。 But quite hard to follow at some points; it jumps from scene to scene and I couldn't always follow it perfectly。 Character development a little superficial。 But very gripping read 。。。more

Benzilneurosurg ，

Classic spy stuff。 Seems like just the beginning of a wonderfulSeries。 This just the teaser

Pete ，

Even in a short novel such as this it's evident why LeCarre became an icon of the espionage genre。 His storytelling is taut with suspense and he understood the importance of drawing his readers into the events that were unfolding。 Even in a short novel such as this it's evident why LeCarre became an icon of the espionage genre。 His storytelling is taut with suspense and he understood the importance of drawing his readers into the events that were unfolding。 。。。more

Simon Pert ，

Really enjoyed this book and 60 years on it is still a great whodunit simple as that。 Grab a copy and just enjoy the characters and the twist and turns

Barry Avis ，

Not sure why I have never read any John Le Carré before， I always liked the TV and Movie adaptions and it took the post mortem publication of his last novel to make me decide to read one of his novels so I decided on his first。 This will not be my last Carré novel as I found it to be one of those books that you just have to finish to find out 。Looking forward to reading more of his books。

Fred Longenecker ，

Always wanted to read John le Carre and this is the first with his agent George Smiley。 I had trouble following it but then I have not read many espionage books。 I may try some more。 After all le Carre is well known for these books so perhaps I just need to concentrate more。

Karen ，

Ah。。。the world of Le Carre！

Fairport Public Library ，

January 2020， Carl， Fiction

Leah ，

This book was my introduction to le Carre， and George Smiley。I liked it; it was a well-written and interesting murder mystery with a generous side of espionage thriller。 I was not expecting the murder mystery element， but it made sense in context。 Smiley reminded me of a sad Poirot。I found some of the interpersonal exchanges very opaque; not sure if that was a personal problem not understanding the author's style， or if it was intended to be rather opaque。 I admired and appreciated the strong se This book was my introduction to le Carre， and George Smiley。I liked it; it was a well-written and interesting murder mystery with a generous side of espionage thriller。 I was not expecting the murder mystery element， but it made sense in context。 Smiley reminded me of a sad Poirot。I found some of the interpersonal exchanges very opaque; not sure if that was a personal problem not understanding the author's style， or if it was intended to be rather opaque。 I admired and appreciated the strong sense of time and place the story takes place in。 I'm really glad I read The Spy and the Traitor about Cold War double agent Oleg Gordievsky before this。 It gave me a solid foundation for understanding the inner workings of the various intelligence services and their relationship to one another。 I think I would have struggled a lot more without that background。 。。。more

Matthew Fleming ，

Slight but packed with the technical tension that makes the Smiley novels so rich。 Smiley and his world emerge fully formed， and it's a great read。 Slight but packed with the technical tension that makes the Smiley novels so rich。 Smiley and his world emerge fully formed， and it's a great read。 。。。more

m0tyl ，

Skojarzyło mi się z Agathą Christie jednak nie porwało mnie w podobny sposób， niemniej sięgnę po kolejny tom

Liz Alexander ，

3。5 starsThis was a quick， mostly enjoyable read。 Some of the jargon was a little hard to follow （being that I’m reading this 60 years after it was written， it’s not really the author’s fault）。 The story generally moves pretty quickly， though parts felt a bit predictable。I’d probably only read more Le Carré as a palate cleanser vs。 something I’m really interested in consuming。- - -Did I cry？ No。

Joshua Reed ，

I liked it， but kind of had to force my way through at the end while things were getting wrapped up after the main mystery was solved。

Ian ，

I have been reading too many thrillers and mysteries by more recent authors with much more action。 It took time to get into the story but Le Carre did capture me。 It was good and I will continue the Smiley series。

Elizabeth Bridcut ，

First time I've read a le Carre， I found it really gripping and the characters well developed and believable。 First time I've read a le Carre， I found it really gripping and the characters well developed and believable。 。。。more

Cindy ，

Great read， if not short read。 Vintage English spy novel。 Some great prose and I noted similarities between the characterisation of Smiley and Christie's Poirot。 Will read series。 Great read， if not short read。 Vintage English spy novel。 Some great prose and I noted similarities between the characterisation of Smiley and Christie's Poirot。 Will read series。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Call for the Dead

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Call for the Dead&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Call for the Dead&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0